| dc.description.abstract | Dairy goat farming is rising globally as an alternate climate smart livestock. This rise is attributed to its high drought and heat resilience, less methane emission and better disease resistance. According to KNBS (2019), the goat population in Kenya stands at 15 million with close to 400,000 being dairy goats mainly bred using rotation bucks thus predisposing them to reproductive challenges. This study was carried out to determine farmers attitudes and perception on artificial insemination (AI) in goats and to determine the optimal dose of prostaglandin (PGF2α) required for estrous synchronization in goats. A baseline survey was undertaken on 200 goat rearing households in Mukurwe-ini Sub County in Nyeri County using a structured questionnaire. This was followed by a controlled experiment at the Ol Magogo sheep and goat farm which involved 45 healthy cycling, non-pregnant dairy goats aged 1.5 to 3 years using a control randomized block. They were randomly allocated into three groups of 5 goats each, the control group received 500μg, group 2 received 250μg and group 3 received 125μg of Cloprostenol (estroPLAN) intramuscularly (IM) replicated three times. Double injection protocol of 11 days apart was used. The heat response, onset, intensity and duration were observed and recorded. Questionnaire data were analyzed using R software version 4.03 and comparisons done using Pearson chi-square test at 95% confidence interval. Experimental data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using R software and means separated using least square differences (LSDs). The results revealed that a majority of farmers use natural mating (98%) and a significant (p-<0.05) number of farmers were willingness to pay for AI. 71.4% of farmers though willing to pay, perceived this technology to be expensive. Whereas the heat response for group 1 and 2 were similar, a majority of group 2 goats had milky vaginal mucus between 60 and 72 hours and highest pregnancy rates (84.6%). It is concluded that goat rearing Goat rearing in Nyeri was through small scale practice involving 2-5 goats and
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most farmers were not members of goat associations. Breeding was done through rotation bucks and this practice was leading to inbreeding and reproductive venereal diseases. Goat AI practice was significantly low and mostly practiced by younger generation. Lowered dosage of PGF2α by half (250μg) was effective and efficient in synchronizing goats. It is recommended that Farmers be encouraged to join the goat associations for better management of goat farming. It is suggested that farmers do away with the use of rotation bucks to decrease venereal diseases and in breeding in goat farming. The other suggestion is that synchronizing of goats be done using 1ml (250μg) instead of 2 ml of PGF2α. It is suggested that the results of this study be used to inform policy that allows lower synchronizing dose be applied for synchronizing goats across the country and also to be part of the protocol to be integrated within the goat AI Centre in Ndomba for enhanced delivery of goat AI services in Kenya and beyond | en_US |
